Process and apparatus for manufacturing floating soap



July 9, 1963 sHclcl-n TAKEucHl 3,097,057

PROCESS AND APPARATUS F OR MANUFACTURING FLOTING SOAP Filed .my ze, 195sINV EN TOR ATTORNEY 3,097,057 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FUR MANUFACTUR INGFLOATING SUAP Shoichi Takeuchi, 907-2 Fume, Kamisakabe, Amagasaki City,Japan Filed July 28, 1959, Ser. No. 830,092

Claims priority, application Japan Aug. 1, 1958 4 Claims. (Cl. 18-55)The invention relates to the process and apparatus of manufacturingfloating soap using a soap base that may be heavier than water. Also theinvention relates to such manufacturing of floating soap wherein thesoap base is of synthetic washing materials.

Specifically, the invention relates to the process and apparatus ofmanufacturing floating soap formed with a hollow interior thereof suchthat the specific gravity of the soap is thereby rendered reducedcompared with that of water in order to allow the soap to iioat in or onwater.

The oating soap made according to the teaching of the present inventionis found not to deteriorate in quality or shape, or to 4deform even whenit may be stored .for a long time. The floating soap is constituted ofthe same soap Ibase as ordinary or conventional soap. It has anappearance of beauty and gives a better feeling when in use than doother and conventional floating soaps.

The conventional floating soaps may use conventional material toconstitute the lioating soap, but are made to exhibit the character offloating 4by reducing the specific gravity thereof -by means of aprocess or apparatus establishing a porous or spongy feature to thesoap.

Several methods have been employed in the past to reduce `the specificgravity of the soap. Some of these are:

v(l) Air is blown into the molten soap material producing air bubbles inthe soap base, which is then quickly cooled and solidified. Y

(r2) A gas generating chemical, such as bicarbonate of soda, `is mixedinto the molten soap base and heated up so that the gas generatingchemical produces bubbles in the soap base, which is then quickly cooledand solidified.

(3) A molten soap base is heated up without the addition of anychemicals or any other substances, and the -water contained in the soapbase is converted into steam, which occupies, of course, a largerdi-mension. The soap base is then cooled down quickly and the condensedsteam leaves the soap base with the enlarged dimension that wasproduced. This method of producing porous, light soap is disclosed inAustrian Patent No. 407,257.

(4) An addition of alcohol into a waterless containing soap is heated upto produce a light soap, and is disclosed in German Patent No. 125,713.

(5) A light material such as cork or wood dust or sawdust is mixed intothe soa-p base to produce a light soap. This is disclosed in GermanPatent No. 400,084.

(6) A mixture of small amounts of metallic powder, such as zinc,aluminum, bronze, magnesium, etc., reacting with the free alkali in thesoap base produces hydrogen gas, is then muddled and heated to producethe gas. Cooling and solidifying produces a light soap. This has beendescribed in German Patent No. 549,145.

The floating soaps which have been produced by these above processes,such as by the addition of air or gases into the soap base are subjectto oxidation or chemical decomposition and the soap is then subject todecay and bad odor with consequent poor foaming and diminished Washingand cleaning strength. Furthermore, the com- 3,097,057 Patented July 9,1963 ice position of the soap is not homogeneous and is liable to becomedeformed in shape. Floating soaps with mixtures of cork or wood dustgive an unpleasant sensation to the skin of the users. Manufacturingprocesses for floating soaps with addition of these lforeign materials`tend to enhance and increase the production costs with these morecomplicated processes than the ordinary soap manufacture.

The floating soap of the invention is unlike the aforesaid floatingsoaps; it is made by providing a hollow space inside of each bar `ofsoap made by the new process. The hollow space is surrounded by and isformed by suitable wall thicknesses of pure soap. Only air cornes incontact with the internal smooth surface of the hollow space and thesoap does not contain any foreign substances in the soap base. Almost nooxidation takes place. Even during long periods of storing, it is notsubject to deformation, 'bad odor or weakened washing and cleansingstrength.

The manufacturing process and apparatus of the present invention has newfeatures in extrusion and stamping in soap manufacturing.

In the accompanying drawing the invention is illustrated wherein:

FiG. 1 shows a longitudinal section of `a soap extruder having a mandrel`for producing a pipe shaped or elongated hollow soap base;

FlG. 2 shows a crosssectional View o-f a stamping or die device forreceiving the extruded soap from the soap extruder of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the `die device at the completionof the stamping operation;

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the die device in openedcondition with the completed soap about to be removed;

FlG. 5 represents an axial cross-section o-f the extruded elongatedhollow soap base having substantially equal thicknesses for the wall;

FIG. 6 represents a similar cross-section of extruded soap having a flathollow space formed vfrom the elongated hollow soap of tFlG. 5;

FIG. 7 represents a cross-sectional view of extruded elongated hollowsoap having the hollow at an eccentric position; and

FIG. 8 represents a cross-sectional view of the extruded soap having allat hollow space formed from the soap of lFIG. 7.

A common mode of soap manufacture by the extrusion process is to passthe liquid soap through .cooling rollers, solidify into a large cake,cut into pieces, and allow the pieces to dry. The pieces are mixed in anamalgamator, kneaded in a milling machine, 'and then fed to an extruderA. A cooling jacket is shown encasing a portion of the lextruder, wherethe liquid soap base is cooled, solidified land extruded therefrom as asolid.

Referring specifically now to FIG. 1, the ext-ruder A has a perforatedplate 1, a screwshaft 2 abutting the perforated plate, and a mandrel 3`along the 4axis of the screwshaft 2. The mandrel is fixed to the centerof the perforated plate 1, vfor example, and the distal tip of themandrel i-s extended through a mouth piece -4 so that an annular spaceis provided between the tip of the mandrel `and mouth piece. The soapbase extruded by turning the screwshaft and forcing the soap basethrough the perforated plate and the annular space between the mandreland the mouth piece, is generally pipe shaped, or a continuous elongatedhollow soap base. If the mandrel forms `an eccentric annular space withthe mouth piece, a correspondingly eccentric hollow is formed in thesoap base.

The extruded soap base is placed between a die lid 6 and a die base 7.An edge of the die lid 6 cuts up the extruded soap base and inserts orpushes the cut piece into the die base as shown in FIG. 2.

It is Within the contemplation of the invention to separately cut theextruded soap base into suitable short lengths, which are then insertedin the die base as shown in FIG. 2.

rllhe cut pie-ce or short length of soap base is stamped or pressed bythe die lid 6 engaging the die base 7 to thereby close both endsthereof. This forms a soap ywith a hollow space in the center as shownin the cross-sectional View of FIG. 4. The die lid 6 is lifted and thefinished soap 9 .is removed by raising the die liner 8 of the die base7, as shown in FIG. 5.

An air exhaust needle 10 is attached in the center of the die lid 6. Ithas been found that in forming hollow soap from hollow extruded lengthsof soap base, air in the hollow space will become compressed. When thedie lid is opened from the die base, the compressed air in the hollowspace may expand and cause the distortion of the hollow soap, such asseparation of the joining parts at each end of the soap. The air exhaustneedle 16 extends through the soap base to the hollow portion and formsa passageway which releases a part of the compressed air when both endsof the soap are closed in the soap-forming operation. The passageway isformed by piercing through a side of the soap base. The remainingcompressed air is exhausted when both die lid and die base are openedand the air exhaust needle is drawn out of the finished soap. In thismanner the `air pressure in the hollow space is equalized with theenvironmental atmospheric pressure, and the possibility of distortion ofthe soap or the separation of the closed ends by encapsulated airpressure upon the walls of the soap is eliminated.

The fine needle passageways formed by the air exhaust needle may belilled with soap powder, or, more simply, the passageway closes itselfwhen the soap is used once or twice. It is clear that there is nosubstantial possibility of water getting into the inner hollow space ofthe soap.

Further, in accordance with `a preferred embodiment of the invention, ifthe mandrel is attached to the perforate plate 1 `at a point slightlyabove the aX-is of the screwshaft and the mouthpiece 4 to form aneccentric annular space between the mandrel and the mouth piece, thenthe soap base that is extruded possesses an eccentric hollow and thewall thickness of the extruded soap base is shown as represented by FIG.7. Soap base formed in this manner is cut by the die lid and stampedinto a finished soap piece as shown in the representation of FIG. 8.

The soap piece `formed by the present invention is provided with acenter of gravity positioned on or below the line a-b shown in FIG. 8.The soap piece therefor oats `in water with the thinner side always up.A picture or film or other pattern generally liked by children may bepasted on the thinner side of the soap piece. The film may be ofCelluloid, polyvinyl chloride, etc., which are insoluble in water. Thisserves as a good toy for children as well as a floating soap. The filmside of the soap is lexposed upward as it floats, until the other sideis substantially consumed. As the soap is finally consumed by use l andby becoming soluble in water, the fil-m remains to be used as a furthertoy liked by children.

These and other advantages become apparent from a -full consideration ofthe invention as defined in the ap pended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making floating soap which comprises continuously fonmingan elongated hollow soap base, inserting a por-tion of said hollowelongated soap base between a die base and a die lid, engaging the diebase and die lid to cut off the soap base exterior of the die base anddie lid and to press the open ends of the soap base to a closed positionthat compresses the air within the hollow portion, and releasing thecompressed air within the hollow portion.

2. A method of making floating soap which comprises continuously shapinga hollow elongated soap base, inserting `a portion of said hollowelongated soap base between 4a die base and a die lid, cutting off thesoap base extending exteriorly of the die lid and the die-base, pressingthe soap base between the die base and the die lid to close the ends ofthe hollow portion of the soap base, at the same time releasing aircompressed in said hollow portion of said soap base, and releasing thedie lid for removing the deformed soap base.

3. A method of making a hollow bar of floating soap comprising the stepsof:

(a) continuously forming an elongated hollow soap base;

(b) advancing said soap base between Ia pair of relatively reciprocabledies;

(c) reciprocating said ydies thereby to cut off a predetermined portionof the tubular soap base and to deyfonm said tubular soap base to closethe ends thereof and form a hollow bar of floating soap; and

(d) releasing air compressed in the hollow portion ofiI said bar ofsoap.

4. A method as `defined in claim 3 wherein the step of continuousforming is accomplished by extruding.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.21,063 Voit Apr. 25, 1939 461,973 Brown Oct. 27, 1891 1,263,141 StraussApr. 16, 1918 1,441,315 Walbridge Jan. 9, 1923 1,504,653 Taylor Aug. 12,1924 `1,639,430 Gammeter l Aug. 16, 1927 1,685,423 Hurlburt Sept. 25,1928 1,891,744 Blair Dec. 20, 1932 2,611,942 Auziere Sept. 30, 1952FOREIGN PATENTS 28,216 France Jan. 26, 1925 416,778 Germany July 25,1925 697,659 France lan. 21, 1931 810,989 France Apr. 3, 1937 350,611Italy July 17, 1937

1. A METHOD OF MAKING FLOATING SOAP WHICH COMPRISES CONTINUOUSLY FORMINGAN ELONGATED HOLLOW SOAP BASE, INSERTING A PORTION OF SAID HOLLOWELONGATED SOAP BASE BETWEEN A DIE BASE AND A DIE LID, ENGAGING THE DIEBASE AND DIE LID TO CUT OFF THE SOAP BASE EXTERIOR OF THE DIE BASE ANDDIE LID AND TO PRESS THE OPEN ENDS OF THE SOAP BASE TO A CLOSED POSITIONTHAT COMPRESSES THE AIR WITHIN THE HOLLOW PORTION, AND RELEASING THECOMPRESSED AIR WITHIN THE HOLLOW PORTION.